Healing
by Monica-Ann
Summary: After the event of "Children of Earth", Gwen and Jack need help healing. Many will gladly help, in many different ways and forms. Spoliers for "Children of Earth." Will cross over all over Whoniverse.
1. Bury Your Dead

Healing

Chapter 1-Bury Your Dead

In the days after the defeat of the 456, preparations were being made.

Rhiannon Davies stood beside her brother's grave, silently weeping. She looked up and saw Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams there too, Rhys hold Gwen tightly to him. A few feet away, Captain Jack Harkness stood, staring straight ahead. He didn't look at her, he didn't look at Gwen, he certainly didn't look at the grave.

Afterwards, as he tried to leave, she grabbed his arm. Jack still wouldn't look at her.

"Captain, I would like to thank you.," she told him.

"Why?' Jack asked. "If he hadn't come with me, he would still…" Jack couldn't finish his sentence.

She looked up at him, her hand still on his arm. "For loving him," she told him.

Jack looked at her for a minute, then shrugged her off and left the cemetery, walking right past Gwen and Rhys. Gwen tried to call to him, but words failed. She walked up to Rhiannon. "He's hurting so much, not just for Ianto. It was his grandson that saved the children from the aliens, from the government."

Rhiannon put her had to her mouth. Gwen turned back to Jack's departing figure, a look of defeat in her eye. She turned back to Ianto's sister. "He needs a lot of time to heal." With that Gwen took Rhys' arm.

As they walked off, Rhys turned to Gwen. "He needs help, more than from us. I don't know, maybe that Martha woman you all know?"

Gwen turned to him and smiled for the first time in what felt like days. "Rhys Williams, you know that your brilliant, you are. I'll surely see him tomorrow, at Steven Carter's…I'll call Martha after that.

The next day rolled around and Gwen was in the same black outfit she had been in the day before. As he and Rhys stood in the back away from the grave, she looked around but didn't see Jack. After it was over, Alice Carter hadn't moved from the stop since it had begun. Gwen left Rhys' side and carefully approached Alice.

"Mrs. Carter, I am so sorry for your loss," she started then was nearly knocked over by the glare the other woman threw her. It was the same as Jack's when he was truly angry. Alice said nothing, just turned and left.

Rhys walked up to her. "We'll be making that call then, yeah?"

Gwen only nodded, as Rhys pulled out his mobile and dialed. "Hello, is this Dr. Martha Jones, or Mrs. Milligan?" he asks, trying to be light.

He failed, as she was able to tell something was wrong from his tone of voice. "Rhys, what's wrong?"

He looked at Gwen and handed her the mobile. "Martha, I need your help." It was she needed to say.


	2. Too Late, or Not?

Thank you for your reviews, keep them coming. They keep me writing

A few note. This is include many people for the worlds of Doctor Who. With such major damage having been done, Torchwood is going to need all the help they can get.

Chapter 2-Too Late, Or Not?

By time Dr. Martha Jones had arrived in Cardiff, Jack had left.

He had sent Gwen a text. "Need to travel, will be in touch." That was all he said. Fresh tears threaten to spring from her eyes as a knock sounded at her door. She went to answer it and found Martha on the other side. The floodgates opened as she embraced Martha.

It took hours to explain all that had happened; the assassination attempts, being on the run from Cardiff with Rhys, the pregnancy, freeing Jack. The whole story tumbled out of her lips. When she informed Martha about losing Ianto, then Steven and who he was, tears welled up in the corners of Martha's eyes

"And now the worst. He's gone, again. I just found out," Gwen cried, showing the other woman the message. "And I don't know if he's coming back."

Martha looked at the message, shaking her head. She turned back to Gwen. "He'll come back. This is a lot and he needs time to recover, as do you, but know that he will come back."

There was a resolve in her voice that encouraged Gwen. She sniffled a little more, then dried her eyes. "Thank you. But now, I have another problem," she said as she moved to the window. "There's still a rift running through this city and Torchwood still has a mission. I'm all alone to mind it and I have no resources, no team."

Martha smiled at Gwen for the first time since she was called by her. "You've got me. Give me an hour and I will be back to help."

Gwen nodded at her. "Meet me in front of the Millennium Centre. We may need to do damage control on the remains of the Hub." With that Martha left and for the first time in nearly a week, things felt normal to Gwen.

Martha dialed into the UNIT Special Projects Division. "Corporal Norris speaking," the voice at the other end said.

"Dr. Martha Jones. Number 1857. Patch me into him," she commanded.

After a minute, another voice came on the line. An older male voice, it said, "Lethbridge-Stewart here, Dr. Jones,"

"Brigadier, I'm in Cardiff. I've just spoken with Gwen Cooper. Sir, Torchwood needs help. They are down to virtually one person, I've been told that there headquarters has been all but obliterated and there are still concerns about the rift. Will you authorized me to assist? If need be, I'll take a leave from UNIT," she reported.

Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart sighed. He had been made aware of the entire situation from Colonel Oduya and had been visited by Bridget Spears. "Dr. Jones, not only do you have full authority, but I shall be there to assist. UNIT will be at their disposal. In fact, I just heard from Oduya. He will be arriving in the city in three hours. Should I have him meet you?"

Martha smiled. "Please do so, at the Roald Dahl Plass. Gwen and I will be there, sifting through wreckage." She paused before continuing. "Sir, maybe we should consider

contacting the Doctor. He's one of Jack's closest friends."

"We can try, by all means, Dr. Jones," Sir Alistair told her. "Look I will warn you though. I've spoken with Sarah Jane Smith. She's seen him and informed me of what he's been through." After Lethbridge-Stewart had told Martha the story that had been relayed to him, she in turn told him what Gwen had told he. "He may not be able to help Captain Harkness himself."

"But I can try," was how she had left it. She ended the call, then dialed the Doctors number. It never pick up. Going to voicemail, she left a message. "Doctor, please come. I need your help," was all she said.

One hour later, Martha was standing near the wreckage of the Torchwood Hub when she saw Gwen. The dark-haired woman walked up to the cordoned off area with authoritative strides. She was allowed in and approach Martha, looking over the scene. "Bloody hell," was all she could say.

"Where was the bomb?" Martha asked

Gwen smiled grimly. "I had been informed that I was pregnant. I checked it on the monitor, which confirmed it. Jack put his hand over mine on the monitor and it discovered the bomb in his stomach." Gwen put a hand on her stomach. "Rhys is still ticked that Jack and Ianto knew before him." She turned back to Martha. "Anything to report?"

Martha smiled at her. "UNIT, under temporary command of Colonel Oduya, will be here within two hours to assist. Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart will be taking over tomorrow. He's an old friend of the Doctor's. I'm now on detached assignment from UNIT to offer any and all assistance you may need." She put her hand on Gwen's shoulder. "We'll get this place up and running again, you have my word."

Gwen smiled but sighed. "I'm going to need a new team." She thought for a moment. "There was a woman, Lois Habiba. She was our contact within the government. She risked everything for us. We should be able to track her down. I want to let her know the offer still stands." There was another pause. "What about that lad, Jack and he seemed to annoy each other but got on well anyway. What was his name?"

"Mickey Smith. Brilliant. I'll get in touch with him, he said something about working for Torchwood in the alternate universe. He could help us."

"I'd like to help anyway I can," a new voice spoke up. A woman with dark hair stood three feet away. Gwen didn't recognized her at first but then the woman continued, wave to the debris. "After all, I caused this."


	3. Johnson and LethbridgeStewart

Chapter 3 is up. Hope you all enjoy. Had some problems with it, but its all coming together. Please keep send the feedback!

Chapter 3-Johnson and Lethbridge-Stewart

Gwen and Martha approached her. Gwen flashed back to the night of the explosion, as she and Rhys had begun to run. The woman had sat next to Andy in the jeep as Gwen had shot out the tires. Gwen continued, remembering the army barracks, being caught between two sets of her troops, until Ianto had managed to free the cement block that held Jack. As she finally approached the woman, the last image she saw of her was her watching the images from Thames House, as Jack held Ianto, dying, in his arms. That was her last memory, before Gwen hauled off and slugged her with all her might.

"You bloody bitch, this is all your fault. We could have helped--" She didn't get a chance to finish, as Martha was holding her back.

The woman wiped her lip, as Gwen shot had bloodied it. She stayed on the ground, just watching Gwen. "I accept full responsibility," was all she said.

Gwen's shot had been noticed by the constables and two of them ran over, one being Andy Davidson. Gwen had calmed down a bit. "Andy, cuff her." Andy looked between the two women dumbfounded. Before he could say anything, the woman held out her wrists and Andy did as he had been instructed. Gwen continued. "Take her down to the station. I'll deal with her later." The woman was led away, looking at Gwen over her shoulder.

Martha turned to face Gwen. "Who was she?"

"Her name is Johnson. Think of her as a bitchier Emma Peel. Frobisher sent her to destroy Jack and Torchwood. She set the bomb that did this, she went after Ianto and I after the blast, she took Alice and Steven Carter, all on Frosbisher's orders," Gwen had explained. "Steven Carter would never had been at those barracks if not for her. If the Home Office, if Frobisher had just listened to us…" Fresh tear rolled down her eyes. She sank to the ground, with Martha comforting her

It was some time later that a gentleman in a UNIT uniform approached the two women. "Dr. Jones," the military man said. "Colonel Oduya, as ordered, Ma'am."

Martha nodded. "Colonel, I'd like to introduce Gwen Cooper of Torchwood."

He nodded to Gwen and the addressed them both. "We are under orders to assist in any way possible. Also, we will not interfere, as we are aware of the sensitive nature of much of your equipment." He gave Gwen a slight smile. "I would also like to extend to you my condolences on the lose of your man, Ianto Jones. I saw what happened at Thames House."

Gwen acknowledged the man's thought, but got down to business. "Why are you helping us? We have barely worked together in the past, why now?" She was getting agitated at the man's calm nature. "I have a duty to protect anything recoverable from this site so don't think you'll muscle in."

Before the Colonel could address her questions, another voice joined in. "Don't worry Ms. Cooper, we are fully aware of Torchwood's, shall I say, unique place within the government," the man said.

"We are separate from the government, outside the police, beyond the United Nations," Gwen told him, remembering what Jack had told her a few years ago, just before she had joined.

The man smiled. "That's what I meant." He walked over to her, extending his hand. "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, from UNIT. I had a long affiliation with a person known as the Doctor, and with Sarah Jane Smith. She and Martha have both vouched for you." He took a long look at her. "Torchwood has been around much longer than UNIT, doing the same work. While your methods and actions may have been questionable over that time, your reasons have not."

"The truth is, Gwen, UNIT and Torchwood have had back channel communications for years, mostly before Canary Wharf," Martha added. "Even before then, Jack had begun to distance the Cardiff branch from the rest of the organization since he took over."

"Ms. Cooper, it boils down to this. Torchwood has helped out this planet do often in the past. You were not allowed to do so during the recent crisis. UNIT itself was even forbidden to interfere until it was nearly too late, even though we are mandated to do so. I believe it is in the interests of the planet that we assist you, here and now," Lethbridge-Stewart declared. "You will of course still have full autonomy over the site and anything that lay under it. We will give you planners, engineers, construction crews, anything you need to rebuild." When Gwen still looked skeptical, he put his hand on her shoulder. "We are the only two groups, in my view, that need to trust each other. Please, let us help." He took his hand off her shoulder, as she extended hers. The two shook, as a smile slowly played on her lip.

"Right, first things first," Gwen said, taking charge as she stood near the pit that had been the Hub. "This mess needs to be clear out. We'll need heavy equipment to remove the rubble. When that's done, we need to send a team down. I'm sure the main part is gone, but there are numerous sub floors. I'm hoping they are still intact." She continued, giving commands to Oduya,

As she was doing that, Martha stepped away to make a call. The Doctor was still not answering, worrying her. Leaving another message, she dialed another number. That call picked up on the first ring. "Mickey Smith here. And a hello to you too, Martha Jones."

"Mickey, how would you like to save the world again with Torchwood?" she asked.

Mickey smiled on his end. "I thought Captain Jack would never ask."


	4. The Coming of the Smiths, and a Spear

Here's chapter 4. I hope you all like it. Please again, replies are always loved and wanted.

Chapter 4-Coming of the Smiths and Spears

After UNIT had come in to help, things began to move quickly. They estimated the debris removal would take about a month. Gwen had set up a temporary headquarters in a disused industrial park just outside the city. Computers were brought in and set up on the Torchwood server. She at least had access to the files that had been transferred to the computer from the previous one hundred years.

She had a section of the main building in the park set as a cell and UNIT transferred Johnson in there, keeping the guard. After sitting a day the new Hub, Gwen went to see her. The other woman just looked at her at her as she sat down across the table. Gwen had a micro-recorder with her, on which she pushed play.

"You are going to tell me everything that you were ordered to do," she said calmly.

Johnson just looked at her. "Why?" she asked after a minute. "The man who tasked me is dead, as is his family."

"I want recording of all of this, in case it's tried again," she replied, a hard edge in her voice.

Johnson looked at her again, then began, starting the attempt to use Ruspesh Patanjali to infiltrate Torchwood. Once it was confirmed that it was the 456 who were communication through the children, the nature of her mission had been changed.

It took over two hours to go through all the events. Gwen asked a question here and there, but Johnson did most of the talking. As she came near to the end, as she began to talk about the events in the barracks with Jack, Dekker and Alice Carter, the woman's hard façade began to crack. She went into detail that it was Dekker who first figured out that a child was needed and Jack's initial refusal. But even she understood that Jack knew what needed to be done.

"Right there, at the very end, the tears, between seeing what was happening to Steven, hearing his daughter's pleas, he looked like he was ready to give up," Johnson said, trying to get control over herself. "Alice said something to me, after we had her in custody. 'The man who cannot die has nothing to fear.' She was wrong. He can fear losing that which makes his human. That boy, his mother, were what he feared losing most," she said, ending the interview.

Gwen shut off the tape, thinking for a moment. She had just been given a lot of damaging information on many high level officials, and for the life of her, she didn't know what to do. As she stood to leave, Johnson looked at her.

"What are you going to do with me?" the other woman asked.

Gwen looked her in the eyes. "I don't know yet," she said simply and walked out.

When she arrived back the area, she noticed Martha talking to a young black man. He saw her approaching and stepped away from Martha. "Mickey Smith," he said, extending his hand.

Gwen took it. "So, you were caught up in all this? All the goings-on out there?" she had asked.

"With the Doctor, yeah. Met Jack through him." Mickey's smile dimmed. "Martha told me what happened. Don't worry about him. If I know Jack, he can't stay way from this place."

"Mickey is absolutely right," Martha piped in. "The Doctor offered him the chance to travel again, and he turned it down. Knew he belong with you, with Torchwood."

Gwen tried to smile, but it was hard. "That was before we lost nearly everyone. They're all gone, now, Own, Toshiko, Ianto. It's just me," she replied.

"You've got me now, and Martha. He'll come back, it for nothing else then to aggravate me," Mickey said, trying to be cheerful.

Gwen thought about Owen for a minute and the relationship she had seen between the two of them over the two years they had all worked together. There was Owen's playfulness in Mickey, she could tell that, and maybe a little of the flirt. She needed that now, someone to lighten up the mood. "Martha says your good with computers, yeah? I need you to work on accessing as much of the Torchwood computer core as you can." With that, Mickey nodded and set to work.

An hour later, a UNIT solider approached Gwen and whispered in her ear. With a nod, the solider wave in another one escorting an older woman in a suit. She looked officious as she approached and Gwen recognized her as Bridget Spears, John Frobisher's PA. Gwen led her to a meeting area that had been set up.

"Thank you for seeing me Ms. Cooper," Spears began. "I've come to give you something. It won't make up for all you lost, but it's a card you have to play with the government, should you need it." She pulled out a memory stick. "I made complete recordings of what was said at Number Ten after the crisis was over. I retrieved the contact lens you gave Ms. Habiba from evidence. Also, I will tell you she has been released and I believe she may be headed to Cardiff." Spears pulled out another memory stick. "These are your recording from when Lois was wearing them. Again, they may come in handy in dealing with fallout." As she stood, Gwen grabbed her arm, bringing there gazes together.

"We could have helped. Why didn't you let us help?" was all Gwen asked.

Bridget Spears looked at Gwen. "As I stand here now, Ms. Cooper, I really do not know." She shook off the younger woman and left.

Mickey watched her go out the entrance when he saw another group come in. The Brigadier was followed by an older woman and a teenage boy, both looking around with a degree of awe. Mickey hurried out of his chair and rushed to greet them. Gwen got up and approached them. Mickey turned to make the introductions.

"Sarah Jane Smith, Luke, this is Gwen Cooper," he said.

"Hello, Ms. Cooper," Sarah Jane said, shaking her hand.

Gwen acknowledged each with a nod of her head. "Welcome to Torchwood," she said. "I know it's not much right now, but we're working on it."

After showing them around for a few minutes, Mickey took Luke over to show him some of the computer software they were running. It would give Gwen and Sarah Jane a few moments to speak in private. Sarah explained her connection to the Doctor and all the wonders he had shown her so long ago. Gwen tensed at the mention of the Doctor, something that did not go unnoticed by. Sarah Jane decided to begin there. "Something else you'd like to talk about, Gwen?" she asked.

"You know the Doctor pretty well, yeah?" she asked.

Sarah nodded and smiled. "I'd like to think that I do." She looked at Gwen. "You have questions about him?"

Gwen composed herself for a minute. "Whenever the Earth is in danger, whenever we need him, he always seems to come." She let out a sigh. "He didn't come this time. Why?" she asked the older woman.

Sarah Jane felt such sympathy for this woman. Sir Alistair had told her about what Torchwood had lost so recently and now this woman was virtually alone, trying to put it back together. "I can't tell you that. I don't know why myself." She took Gwen in her arms and embraced her. "I am certain that we will help you rebuild." She was about to continue when Martha ran towards them.

"Gwen, we may have a problem. There's a report about a pterodactyl in the city center," she told her.

For a minute, Gwen gave her a confused look, then a huge smile light up her face. "Martha, come with me. We may need a medic. Sarah Jane, can you drive me?"

Sarah Jane nodded. "Let me get Luke, I want to keep an eye on him," She said, running back towards Luke and Mickey.

Gwen nodded as they returned. "Thanks. And on the way, we need to may a stop. We need to get chocolate. Dark chocolate."


	5. Myfanwy and Other Family

I want to thank everyone for their reactions to the story. Keep the feedback coming! There's still a lot more to go, plus a surprise appearence.

Chapter 5-Myfanwy and other Family

When Sarah Jane's car stopped in front of the Millennium Centre, the police had guns drawn against a creature that sat atop the pile of rubble that had been the Hub. Gwen quickly opened the door and sprinted towards the scene, leaving Martha, Sarah Jane and Luke in her dust.

"Stand back!" she shouted. "Stand back, this is a Torchwood matter." The cops looked at her, but obeyed as she carefully approached the pre-historic animal. She smiled at it and that seemingly calmed it down. "Hello there, girl. Hello Myfanwy. You missed us all, right?" she asked it.

"That's a pteranodon," Luke said, explaining to his mother, "They're a subset of the pterodactyl, but they've been extinct for millions of years."

"She flew through the rift. We kept her safe in the Hub, and she protected us when we needed it." Gwen flashed back momentarily to the night it was revealed Ianto was hiding a Cyberwoman in one of the sub cellars. "Ianto found her, with Jack. Could always coax her with chocolate." At the mention of Ianto, the creature let out a screech. Gwen had always perceived that Myfanwy was a highly intelligent creature, that she was fully away of her surroundings. She approached slowly and when she reached Myfanwy, patted her head. She reached into her bag and pulled out a chocolate bar, feeding it to her. "You know he's gone, you miss him too, yeah?" she asked in a soothing tone.

Gwen wanted to embrace the pteranodon but she knew it needed to be removed from the area before there was any more attention. As Myfanwy ate the chocolate, Gwen signaled to Martha, who brought the sedative over and injected the creature. She sagged to the ground and two UNIT soldiers came over to carry the creature into a nearby truck.

"Well, it seems she survived after all," Martha said as they finished up.

"Ianto must have let her out to hunt. There was only so much we could feed her," Gwen reasoned. "We'll put her in one of the warehouses in the industrial park." Gwen looked around. "It's looking better, yeah? " she asked as she approached the hole in the ground. Crews had been working around the clock to clear it out. At the pace they were going, UNIT estimated that they should be able to have access by the next week. Gwen as anxious to get inside.

She continued to look around Roald Dahl Plass when she caught sight of a familiar face. She stared up at it, catching Martha and Sarah Jane's notice. "You know that woman?" Sarah Jane asked.

Gwen nodded, keeping tears at bay. "Her name is Alice Carter," she said. "She's Jack's daughter." Alice turned, seeing Gwen and turned to leave. Gwen made her way over to Alice, trying to get to her. "Alice, wait!" she called.

Alice stopped and turned towards the oncoming woman. She held herself ridged.

Gwen noted her state and slowed down. "It's good to see you," she said.

The other woman said nothing. She looked back at the remains of the Hub, then spoke. "You're going to rebuild it." It was a statement, not a question.

Gwen continued to look at her. She knew from the computer records she had pulled up over the last few days that Alice's mother, Lucia Moretti, had been a Torchwood operative in the sixties. With Jack as her father, she was essentially a child of Torchwood. Yet she also knew how much pain that had brought her now. How much pain Jack had brought her.

Before she could answer her, a group of schoolchildren came past, heading towards the Millennium Centre. Alice looked at them sadly. "I've been seeing children all the time lately."

"I know how hard this is for you, and I know what it is doing to Jack. If there had been any other way, he would have done it," she said.

"You don't know, you're not a mother," she replied tartly.

"I will be, in seven months," Gwen informed her.

"Then you try putting yourself in my place, with Jack standing there, watching your child…" She couldn't continue.

Gwen tried to approach her, tried to comfort her. She pulled away before Gwen could. With one last look back at Gwen, she ran away, her grief overcoming her.

Gwen felt tears threatening to come to the fore. Martha and Sarah Jane walked up behind her, and the three women watch Alice Carter's departing form. Martha rubbed Gwen back, understanding the plight of both women, and wanting to help Alice more, knowing what had happened. They eventually made their way back to the car and went back to the Hub.

When they got there, they saw Mickey arguing with someone. As Gwen got out of the car, she recognized the man as Johnny Davies, Ianto's brother-in-law. Gwen approached the two as Johnny nearly began a shoving match.

"Johnny, no need for that. He's a friend," she said, giving the big Welshman a hug.

"Gwen Cooper, how are you? And Rhys. How's he holding up?" he replied.

"We're all good. Getting back to our lives." She made the introductions then inquired, "What brings you around?"

"Returning something you lost." He walked over to a black SUV, caked in mud and grime but remarkably intact. "When Ianto came to see us, it was nicked. We just found it and thought it was best to return it to you."

Gwen threw him a confused look. "It was nicked?" Then she thought back to the night of the bombing. She had just been told by Clem MacDonald that she was pregnant and, in rushing to confirm it with the equipment in the Hub, ignored Ianto as she entered. He had mentioned it again, but she had still been caught up in the emotions of her discovery, that it hadn't registered. Minutes later she was on the run and she never paid the SUV a mind. Now she burst into a smile so wide, it hurt her face. Spinning back to Johnny, she gave him a great big hug. "Oh thank you, and thank Rhiannon for me." With that, Johnny began to walk away towards a friend's car, one that would take him back to the estate. Gwen turned back to him. "You ever need anything, you come look for me, you hear?"

The other man turned back to her, nodded, smiled and waved. As he left, her team approached. Gwen smiled at Sarah Jane, Luke, Martha, Mickey and Sir Alistair.

"For the first time Martha, I think we will be alright. We've got the car back, Myfanwy's alright, and a hub is up and running," she surmised. "Now, all me need is…Jack."


	6. Visits with Jack and Other Harknesses

Part of this chapter were writing while I listened to Vienna Teng's "Eric's Song" A Janto midvid was made to it and it was so heartbreaking, I bought the download and put it on repeat as I wrote here. My eyes were welling up. There is also a reference in this chapter back to "Something Borrowed" something I've been thinking about since I saw that episode and then saw "Day One." Again feedback is welcome, and a big thanks to those of you who have given it already. Keep int coming!

Chapter 6- Visits With Jack and other Harknesses

The text mail indicator on Martha's phone went off on her night table. She picked it up and, bleary-eyed, read the message. Immediately she sat up, threw on some clothes and hurried to where she was directed. When she reached the place, she saw the lone figure standing in the streetlight.

"About time, don't you think?" she said to Jack.

He smiled, but it wasn't one of his patented Jack Smiles. For a minute, she was reminded of the Doctor, in his more melancholy moods. Still, they embraced, he taking comfort in her arms for a minute.

"How are you Martha Jones?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"I'm doing good," she said, then gave him a long look. "How are you?"

"Getting by. I've been keeping an eye on you lot." He paused for a minute. "Thank you for helping Gwen."

She waved her hand, as if it were nothing. "She needed help. Of course I would come."

He nodded. "I need your help now. Stay here with her. I need someone to keep and eye on her. She's having a baby and I fear she'll try to take on too much. Keep her safe, because if she's not, Rhys'll come after me," he said with a chuckle that fell flat.

"I have an idea," she began. "Come back with me. You can do all that yourself and we'll help."

He shook his head. "I can't do that. I'm too dangerous to be around." He looked skyward. "It took all of this for me to realize it. And don't tell her you saw me. I want to make a clean break." He was pleading with her. "Please Martha."

Martha looked at the ground. "You have to see her at some point. Make me that promise, Jack. You come back to her. You both need each other." He walked away from her, not acknowledging her request. She was desperate to stop him. "You two are so alike, you and the Doctor. Torturing yourselves for being happy."

He stopped. "We are alike. We destroy our worlds, our families." He turned back to her. "Maybe I should have learned from him. He moves on, because he knows just how fleeting all this is," Jack said as he waved his arms about him.

"Just promise me Jack. I won't tell her about tonight, but you promise me," she said, almost begging.

Jack stopped to consider for a minute. With a nod, he agreed, but then disappeared into the night.

Martha was left alone, considering Jack's state of mind. He was still working his way through the grief of it all. He just needed more time, she tried to tell herself. He would be back, she thought.

It was the following morning. Sarah Jane and Luke had stayed in Cardiff for a few weeks, but she had decided to send him back to Ealing to stay with Clyde. After putting him on the train, she went about doing some investigating, coming eventually to a small cemetery. Looking through the registry, she found Steven Carter's name, but as she looked back further, two other names caught her eye, Eleanor and Stephen Harkness. She checked with the vicar who was more than helpful.

"It's was rather strange, though. That young boy, his mother requested he be buried in a much older part of the churchyard. Those grave are actually right next to each other, in fact," he informed her.

"Really?" she said as he led her to the spot. Once he left, she noticed the dates on the Harkness' grave. Eleanor had been born in 1897, died in 1936. Stephen had been born in 1921, died in 1941.

"They were mother and son. She died in an attack by a creature we never identified. He was killed when his plane was shot over the Channel," a voice explained.

Sarah Jane turned around and found Jack Harkness standing behind her. His mood was much darker than when she had last seen him, in the TARDIS. His shoulders were slumped forward, as if he carried the weight of the world on them. She looked back at the graves. "They were your family?" she asked.

"Eleanor and I were married in 1919, Stephen was born not quite two years later. She so wanted a child, even knowing everything." Jack walked up to stand beside her, then turned his attention to the other grave. "When Alice told me she was pregnant, she asked me about him. She named her son after his uncle."

"Were you happy?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Yes, we were. Stephen knew all about me, I was his hero. I even told him about how I met the Doctor, running a con as an RAF pilot. When the war started, he joined them because me," he explained. "When he did die, it was reported to Torchwood and they told me. I felt so guilty. He was in the position because of me."

"He died serving his country," she said, trying to comfort him. Carefully, she added, "Just like Owen Harper, just like Toshiko Sato and just like Ianto Jones." She laid a hand in his arm.

"That's what I say to try to not feel guilty. But you know what? It doesn't work," he admitted, eyes growing wet. "It's times like this that I almost wish that I never net the Doctor. These feeling, they eat away at me, and they will never go away. I'll have them for all time, because I'm a fixed point in time. I'll have them because meeting him, traveling with him, changed me. Not just made me immortal, but made me…a good man. A good man who destroys everything around him." He looked at Sarah Jane, his voice hardening, "Just like the Doctor."

With that, Jack left, and Sarah Jane was unable to say anything else. She turned back to the graves, then saw on the over side of the cemetery Alice Carter. She saw Sarah Jane as well as Jack's departing figure. After a moment, Alice approached.

"He's right, you know. You should run away from him, or you'll suffer the same fate," Alice told her.

Sarah Jane looked back at where Jack had been then to Alice. "Mrs. Carter, please, I'd like to talk to you, one mother to another."

Alice said nothing, and Sarah Jane took that as a signal that they could. Both women walked back to the Carter house in silence and Alice put a kettle on. Sarah Jane did some subtle snooping, looking at a table of pictures. She picked up on, a faded color one of Jack with a beautiful dark-haired woman. Alice came in with the tea tray and saw Sarah Jane with the picture.

"That's them, one their second date," she explained. "I was a bit of a surprise." She indicated to a picture of Jack holding a newborn."

"Your father loves you, that is very evident," Sarah Jane said.

"Not enough to not use my son," Alice retorted. "How do you know him?"

Sarah Jane smiled. "We have a mutual friend," she replied. "Maybe he told you about him. The Doctor."

Alice sat down. "The Doctor is just a story Dad tells. He told me when I was young, he even told Steven."

Sarah smiled. "Oh, he's no story. The Doctor's real. I traveled with him, years ago. I know Jack did as well. He said the Doctor changed him, made him a better man."

Alice chuckled ironically. "It didn't work." She looked back at the pictures of her father on the table and began picking them up. "I don't even want to see him ever again. He destroyed my life." She looked over at Sarah Jane. "You're part of Torchwood. Run away, Miss Smith. Run away before you lose everything you care about because that's what Torchwood does." With her free hand, she opened the front door for Sarah Jane. Sarah left and Alice moved into the kitchen, ready to throw away the pictures she held of her father. She stopped for a minute, looking at the one of her and her father on the day she had been born. Tears welled up in her eyes. She walked upstairs and went to a draw in the spare room. Opening in, she threw in pictures in, slamming the draw shut, and breaking down on the floor.


	7. Back to the Hub, and the TARDIS

I want to thank all who have commented aboutg this story. It's been my therapy for the end of "Children of Earth". Now on to chapter 7, with a very special guest. Again, keep the replies coming. More replies = more chapters.

Chapter 7- Back to the Hub and the TARDIS

As with most massive project, clearing the wreckage of the Hub had actually taken longer, three months more so then originally predicted. But when they had managed to clear away the debris, Gwen was shocked.

With the exception of the water tower that hid the Rift Manipulator and the direct ceiling above, no other room was damaged. The sub basements were all intact, even Jack's office and the autopsy were in relatively good shape. Gwen had been to the site on numerous times during the clear-up, shifting through the remains. Rhys had helped her on numerous ocassions, as a way of supporting her and to keep an eye on her. He was picking through a bin of filled with stone when his hand hit on something leathery. He pulled it out and looked at it.

"Gwen, sweetheart, think I found something you may be looking for," he called to her as he dusted off some powdery substance. He could see dried blood on it and the strap was ripped and pulled but when Gwen saw it, she nearly let out a shout of joy.

"Rhys Williams, this is bloody wonderful!" she exclaimed. She examined the wrist control strap as Mickey ran over, hearing her from the other side.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's his control strap," she answered. Even after all these years, it had been something so a part of him, yet so mysterious. She opened it up and fiddled with the buttons. Nothing happened, naturally. The invisible lift would take forever to work again it ever. Whatever anything else was for, she still didn't know, but was happy to have gotten it back.

Martha and Mickey continued to help Gwen and Rhys clear thing out. Martha had found Jack's desk under struts and walls but it, too, was intact. She went through it, cataloguing what she found inside. When she found a metal box, she worked the lock and was surprised at what she found.

Inside were loads of pictures of Jack, some seemingly over one-hundred years old. Most were of him in various old uniforms, but there was one that caught her attention. She called the others over and showed them.

Gwen took the one picture, of him on his wedding day, and a tear rolled down his face. "Before she left, Sarah Jane told me that she had found the grave of Jack's wife and son. Alice even confirmed it was theirs," she explained. "This must be her."

"He does cut a dashing figure even out of uniform," Martha commented.

"Yeah, even I have to admit it. Bastard," Rhys agreed.

Gwen looked at the picture sadly before handing it back to Martha. She walked down to the boardroom and Rhys followed. She turned to him, and couldn't help but cry. "It's been months, and I've heard not a word from him." Rhys held out his arms and embraced his wife, as she concluded, "I don't think he's coming back ever."

"Hush now, don't say that. I'm not so lucky," Rhys tried to say lightly. It actually did work, though as he felt Gwen laugh against his chest. "You told me he once left and none of you thought he'd return, but he did." He held her back from him. "He needs time. He lost his boyfriend and grandson within a day of each other and he probably feels like it's his fault. Anyone would," he said calmly, kissing the top of her head. "Besides, I'm sure he wants to meet his little niece or nephew when they come."

Gwen instinctively put her hand to her swollen belly. She was in awe of her husband, every day. "That's how you think of Jack, with the baby?" At her husband's nod, she reached up to touch his face. "Rhys Williams, I love you more every day." With that said, they kissed.

The work continued within the Hub, as UNIT engineers began rebuilding the secret headquarters and the water tower-cum-Rift Manipulator. Sir Alistair made weekly trips to the site and pulled the strings needed. Martha, Mickey and Gwen were able to keep the flotsam and jetsam that came through the rift a bay, while Lois, who had finally come some months, kept an eye on the temporary Hub. Occasionally, Gwen would see Alice Carter lurking around Roald Dahl Plass, as if keeping an eye out, to give them either her aid or disdain. Gwen never approached the other woman, keeping herself respectfully away. Gwen understood that Torchwood had brought her little but pain over her lifetime.

It was six months after the 456 came to earth when Gwen got the call she had been waiting for. However, after talking to Jack, on the cold hill, she was even more devastated. A part of her expected it, but she was still unprepared for his leaving. No, not leaving. He ran away.

She came in the next morning and informed Mickey, Martha and the visiting Sarah Jane that he had shown up the previous night. She further explained the she and Rhys had gone to meet him and she had given him his wrist strap back and he had used it a minute later to transport off the planet. "I guess after all this time, I got my answer. He can't come back, not after all that happened."

Martha held her hand as she talked, remembering her conversation with Jack months before. Sarah Jane remembered seeing him in the graveyard and finally realized the look on his face was one of utter defeat. Mickey still was in shock. He was sure that Captain Jack would return, would take his place back, because he couldn't think of the immortal man as doing anything other then the work they did there in Cardiff.

Other the other side of the city, Alice Carter awoke that morning, the morning after her father left the Earth feeling worse than she had in months. Yes it was six months later, but today, she felt as if she had finally lost her whole family. That nagging feeling was with her when her doorbell rang and a tall, gangly man stood on the other side of her threshold. He had a sober disposition when he said to Alice, "Hello Alice Carter. I'm a friend of your dad's. I'm the Doctor."


	8. A Visit with the Doctor

I really want to thank you all for your comments again. Here is Chapter 8. With any luke, I may even have Chapter 9 up later tonight. As aways, please leave any feedback!

Chapter 8- A Visit with the Doctor

Alice Carter looked at the man outside her house and wanted to laugh. After a minute, she did, in fact. It wasn't a laugh of joy or mirth, but ironic, bitter. "Yes, I'm certain you are the Doctor, the Time Lord who always saves the day," she told him.

The Doctor tried his most charming, disarming smile, which for a second reminded her of her father. "Well, Doctor, definitely, Time Lord, yes, but always save the day?" He let out a sigh. "I try my best, but sometimes…" He paused, thinking of what to say next. "Sometimes, I can't even save those I love. Sometimes, I have to make my choices based on numbers, cold hard numbers." He grew serious. "Like someone else I know."

Alice walked further into the house, and the Doctor followed. "You're…you're just a story, told to delight small children."

"Did your father's stories of me delight you, Melissa Moretti?" the man asked.

Alice looked up at him suddenly. That other name had both so much and almost no meaning to her, the name of a child who lost her childhood along with her father. Alice Carter was so far removed from her. Yet, a part of her wanted that back. "How do you know that name?"

He brighten slightly. "I'm the Doctor, and although I've tried to avoid your dad like the plague, I've peeked in on you and your mum…and your little boy from time to time." At the mention of Steven, the Doctor grew somber. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Alice felt it a struggle to breath when her son was mentioned. She thought through all the stories she had been told about the Doctor, honing in on one aspect. "You can travel through time, yeah?"

The Doctor knew where this was going and tried to head it off. "What you are asking, I can't do. It's a fixed point, never to be reversed."

"No, you can go back, stop Jack from using Steven," she replied.

The Doctor shook his head. "It's the rules, Alice. I wish I could but I can't."

"Then what the bloody good are you?!" she hollered, pushing him a bit. "You have to--you have to help me get my son back." She was shaking her head, curling herself up, sitting on the floor. "I've lost my whole family, and you can help me get it back."

The Doctor sank down with her, put his hands on her shoulders, then held her to him. She was shaking now, crying against his chest. He tried to soothe her and after a few minutes she had stopped her tears. "You are right, I can help you get back your family, but not the part your thinking of. Because, if I know you dad, he's in the same state as you are."

A small voice answered him. "I know," Alice said, almost in a whisper. She looked up at the Doctor. This had been it, this had been her breaking point. "A Miss Smith, I've spoken with her, over the last few months. She told me about Ianto Jones and Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato."

"Your dad feels responsible for their deaths as well. Add to that…He's left the Earth," the Doctor explained. When Alice looked up at him, he went on. "My ship detect a signal last night to a cold-fusion freighter. It transported someone off-planet."

Alice paused for a minute. "Was this last night?" she asked. At the Doctor's affirmation, Alice pulled away. She thought for a minute more, remembering images from her life, from her childhood. Even when her father wasn't physically in her presence, a part of her knew he was somewhere, looking out for her. He may have been around the block, he may have been on the other side of the city, he may have been on the other side of the planet, but he was always there. And now, with everything he had lost…Torchwood, Steven, Ianto, her… "I drove him away." A fresh wave of tear began to fall.

"No, more like he drove himself away, ran away because the pain got too much to handle, his life was too much to handle," the Doctor said. "I know because I tend to do the same thing. We're alike, sometimes more than I'm willing to admit."

"What brings you back?" she asked quietly.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Sometimes, nothing. The pain is so great, I keep running." He looked at her again. "Then sometimes, the pain I see others going through is what brings me back. I think, just maybe, I can help, lend perspective, because I do know what Jack's going through." He looked at Alice directly in the eye. "Alice, I know this is of little comfort, but I remember something Sarah Jane once told me. We need to move forward, sometimes through pain, but that pain defines us just as much as love. You love your son, and you feel the pain of his loss…"

Alice smiled sadly at the Doctor. She knew where he was going. "But I also love my dad, and he feels the pain of all that loss as well."

With that, the Doctor nodded. He then held out his hand. "He needs you, just as much as you need him." He nodded his head towards her door. "Come with me. Let's go find old Jack and bring him home."

Alice looked at the outstretched hand, then grabbed it and they walked out of the house and down to the end of the street. There stood a blue police call box, just as her father had described it to her. The Doctor held open the door and ushered her in. She stepped in and looked around amazed. "It's just as he said." She felt a lightness about her, for the first time since Steven's death. "Little blue box, bigger on the inside." She let out a laugh. "Steven would have loved this. He always believed all the stories Dad told him about you." It was the first time she had been able to think about her father and son in the same thought and not wanted to die.

The Doctor walked up to a center console and pushed a few buttons. "Shall we go look for Captain Jack Harkness?" he asked his newest traveler.

Alice Carter smiled a dazzling smile, caught up in the wonder of the TARDIS. She closed her eyes and for a moment thought she heard her son's voice, encouraging her to go look for his 'Uncle' Jack. She turned to the Doctor, still with that smile, and nodded. As the TARDIS started up, the Doctor truly saw her father in her smile.


	9. The Two Captains

It turns out that I was able to write and post this chapter today. Funny story about it: As I was think this morning about the Doctor and Alice looking for Jack, I realized there was someone else who may be able to help him, though it may be the last person he'd want to see. Then I thought about interaction between the Doctor, Alice and this man. This was a lot of fun to write, because I could be somewhat mad with the dialogue. I hope you all like it because I loved write it. Again, please keep the feedback and reviews coming.

Chapter 9- The Two Captains

He knew where to find him, because he knew him that well. In a seedy bar in another solar system, Captain John Hart found Jack Harkness, nursing his thousandth drink. John was disgusted by what his former partner had become- a broken man, enfeebled by his losses. Time was when Jack Harkness would have shrug his shoulders and cared little at what fate had tossed him. Now his compassion for those around him, his sorrow for those lost was destroying him.

Sighing at those thoughts, he pulled up a barstool next to Jack. "Give me whatever he's having," John told the barkeep.

Jack heard the voice but didn't acknowledge it. He just sat there, downing his drinks.

John realized that the subtle approach wouldn't work this time. After gulping back the liquid fire that Jack seemed to have ordered, he turned to his old friend. "When I get my hands on the person that made you this way, I swear I'll bleed him," John said. "Come on, mate. Life goes on." John said with a slap on the back.

The second John's hand hit Jack's back, Jack grabbed it in a vise grip, brought his elbow around his back and pinned him to the bar, cutting off his windpipe with his other arm. "Get the hell out of my sight," Jack growled before releasing him.

In the minute it took John to recover from the attack, he finally understood just how devastated Jack was. John knew about everything that had happened- he'd monitored it on his wrist strap. He had also been to Ianto's grave. Remembering how the young man had looked up to Jack, John closed his eyes, moving on to plan C. He found Jack sitting in a quieter part of the bar. Approaching carefully, he said to Jack, "I know what happened."

Jack looked at him with haunted eyes. "You have no idea what happened."

"I know about eye can-Ianto," John started, off Jack's look. "I know you had to use a little boy to defeat those creatures. You won, you saved the kids. I'd expect nothing less from you."

Not looking at John, Jack replied in explanation, "Did you know I used my own grandson to do it? Do you know I destroyed my daughter by killing her son?" He looked at John, a hard, cold look that John stepped back from.

The shorter man gave him a curious look. "You have a daughter and…a grandson?" For a moment, a mocking grin threatened to slip his lips. When Jack glared at him again, John retreated from the comment, for the moment. "Right, not the route to take in this conversation." He let out a sigh. "Jack, did you save more than you sacrificed?"

"Not the point," Jack said.

"Yes it is." John came to stand directly in front of Jack. "There's, what, ten percent of the kids on that planet still there because you were able to stop those creatures from getting their hit. Ten percent of the world's parents have you to thank for not having their kids sacrificed for some drug-dealing protection racket."

"Yeah, and all it took was for me to kill my own grandson," Jack replied with a sickening irony. "His mother was right about me, you know. I am too dangerous to be around. It took me a while to realize it. I kinda got the notion when Owen and Tosh died because of some sick revenge game my brother was playing with me. But it took Ianto dying in my arms and my daughter's wailing as her dead son was in hers to finally come to this realization." Jack's voice sounded borderline maniacal as he looked at John. Captain Hart had never been afraid of Captain Harkness, but this time, he was scaring the hell out of him. He rose from the chair he had been in, his voice low, deadly. "Stay away from me. This is your last warning, or you will suffer the same fate." Jack pushed his way past John and out of the bar.

Eventually, the other man made his way back to the bar and processed to get drunk. It must have been hours, maybe even days later when a new voice gained his attention. It was high-pitched, squeaky almost to the point of painful to his hung-over head. The voice belong to a tall man in a pinstriped suit and tan trench coat. Standing next to him was a woman with curly dark hair and a familiar gleam in her eyes.

"Hello, I was wondering, have you seen this man," he asked as he held out a piece of psychic paper.

The barkeeper looked at it and pointed to John. "This man was talking to 'im hours ago. They had words and he stormed out."

The newcomers looked at John and made their way over. John tried to sit up straighter, impress the lady. He flashed her a lecherous smile. "Hello, gorgeous. How can I help you?"

The man looked at him with caution, then showed him the psychic 'picture.' "Have you seen this man?"

"Yeah, he's me old mate, Captain Jack Harkness. Was in here," John made to look like he was thinking hard about his answer, "long time ago. Off now, though. No idea where he may have gone to."

The woman stepped up to him, smiling graciously. Her hand was on his shoulder one minute, but the next, she had him in the same painful contortion Jack had him in before. Her voice was low and had just a hint of danger to it as she said, "Maybe you can be a little bit more helpful, sir."

"Alice, now, come on," the man said, easing her off John. Looking back at her he commented, "Channeling your dad, are we?" He help right John, then introduced himself. "I'm the Doctor, this is Alice Carter. We're looking for Jack Harkness. Now, we were told that you may have seen him. Any help would be much obliged , Mr…"

"John Hart," came the reply. "Captain John Hart." He looked back at Alice. "Should have figured you were his daughter. He just attacked me in just the same way when we met up. Not the way I generally like to be attacked by him, though." John dropped any idea of flirting with Alice, thinking Jack would really have his hide if he tried anything with his daughter. He turned his attention to the Doctor. "You're the one who started this, you know. Made him such a good man. Nothing like the Jack Harkness I knew." John got up from the bar, gesturing towards the corner Jack had left him in.

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders. "Jack is a good man, he just didn't realize it until we met." The Doctor took a seat, but Alice remained standing behind John, an almost threatening posture from her body language.

"I tracked him from Earth, found him here. I tried to help him, you know. He was just too devastated," John explained. He turned to Alice. "He's hurting a lot about your boy. I am sorry, by the way."

The Doctor eyed Alice at John's comments, then furthered his questions. "You said you tracked him. Can you give me those coordinates?" He looked to Alice. "I can feed them into the TARDIS, it may sharpen her sensors a bit."

Through his semi-drunk haze, John's mind flagged on one comment the Doctor made and came to a conclusion, daft as it may be. "You're a Time Lord? Thought all your people were killed in the Time War."

The Doctor straightened up. "How do you know about the Time War?"

"I was a Time Agent, so was Jack. We were partners, worked together for a long time," John said. "That explains so much now." John turned to Alice. "We were taught that the Time Lords were these great beings who watched all of time and space and didn't interfere." He turned back to the Doctor. "Except for one. And he's the one who ended the Time War, with the Daleks. He destroyed his entire race to stop them."

Alice now looked at the Doctor. She finally understood why he understood her father's actions so well. "Oh Doctor…" she said, unable to continue as his face grew somber.

"Very good, Captain Hart. Then you understand why I need to find Jack," he said finally.

John nodded. "Yeah, I do. But I want to come with you." He looked down sheepishly at his feet. "I may have started this downward spiral Jack's on." He quickly went through the entire incident with Gray, including the deaths of Harper and Sato. "It's a point of honor for me." He noted the Doctor's hesitation. "Look, you don't get those coordinates without me."

The Doctor looked up at Alice. She merely shrugged her shoulders. The Doctor brought his attention back to John. "Well, Captain John Hart, I guess your coming with us." He stood up and put his hand in his pockets. "Now, lets go find Captain Jack."


	10. Catching Up with Old Friends

As always, thank you for all the feedback you've given to me. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. The story should be wrapping up soon, but some family stuff has come up along with the usual facts of life (ie, work0 Will try to have it finished by this weekend.

Chapter 10- Catching up with Old Friends

In the end, Jack was simply tired of running. That's what made it no surprise when he heard the familiar whirl of the motor behind him. After a minute, the ancient door squeaked open and soft footsteps touched on the gravel surface. Someone was walking up to him, slowly. Then the steps stopped. Jack bent his head down. "It took you awhile to find me," he simply said.

"Well, I gave you a head start. Wanted you to work through some of this yourself. I had hoped you wouldn't need me, but I'm here now," the Doctor replied.

"I don't need you, Doctor. I can see that I don't need anybody, and nobody needs me," Jack said quietly.

"Everybody needs somebody, Jack, even the man who will live forever. Especially him, in fact." The Doctor moved closer to him, gently putting his hand on his shoulder. "Jack, of all the being in this universe, I can help you."

"No, you can't. You won't change what happened, and that's the only thing that can help." Jack turned to the Doctor. "I would never ask you to, because I know that what has happened can never be changed. Ianto and Steven, they had lives-" Jack eyes began to well up, "too short, but they had them and now they're gone. Time moves forward."

"And what about you? You have to move on too," the Doctor told him.

"I am. I lived for centuries, on Earth, on hundreds of other planets. Now I need to move on and away," Jack explained.

The Doctor sighed for a minute. "I once offered you the chance to travel with me again and you turned it down. Said you had responsibility to defend the Earth. So now, what, you're reneging on that responsibility?"

"Gwen and Martha and Mickey can continue. They don't need me," he said gravely. "Besides, I can only bring them pain."

"Oh this is such bollocks," Captain John Hart said as he came out of the TARDIS. "Jack, you know, they do need you. They're just muddling though, directionless. Gwen can't do it all and the sorry sacks she's got don't know enough. You need to go back."

Jack looked at John for a minute. "You've got some interesting travel companions nowadays Doctor," he commented.

"We made a deal. The coordinates I had on you for a chance to come with him," John explained. "By the way, your ship…amazing. Can't even imagine how big that thing really is inside."

The Doctor gave John a somber smile. "I've heard that a time or two."

"And you, you sod, you could have traveled with him and you turned it down." John sneered ay him. "So you could stay on Earth, defend the planet. God, you really are such a changed man."

"If you two think this will work, sorry." Jack let out a resigned sigh. "How can I go back after causing Ianto's death, killing Steven, seeing my daughter…" The tears began again. He was looking at the Doctor and John and for a minute, thought he saw a third person in the periphery. Shaking his head to clear his tears and head, he continued. "It's all my fault. I brought them all into that life. I recruited Ianto, Owen, Toshiko, Lucia. Because of me they all died. My daughter can't even look at me after what I did. I can't either." He turned away as the tears streamed down his face. "Just leave me alone."

"We can't let you do that," a third voice said. It was low, feminine and had a familiarity to it. For a minute, Jack denied to himself who he thought it could be, but the voice continued. "Dad, we need you back. All of us. Even me."

Jack turned around finally, his shock palatable. Alice stood closer to the TARDIS, her own eyes wet. "You shouldn't be here," he said to her.

"This is where I'm needed," she said. "Dad, there were so many different twists that could have happened. You could have still been in prison, Steven and I could have gotten away from Johnson's forces, Frobisher could have sought your help in the beginning." She was beginning to cry now as she approached him. "You could have not charmed Mum, not made that original deal with those creatures, not joined Torchwood. Of all those choices, the end results would have been the same or worse, much worse." She was now standing directly in from of him. "Yes, Steven is dead and Ianto and your other colleagues. But as long as we are alive, we remember them, they're not completely gone. You, dad, you'll live forever, and because of that, so will they."

At that, Jack collapsed, to the ground. Alice went with him, holding him to her. He was clutching her like she was a lifesaver. They were both crying, Jack saying "I'm sorry" through the tears, Alice accepting it through hers. John and the Doctor just stood there in silence. After a while they stopped, sitting in a comfortable silence.

"Dad, I need to apologize. I drove you away, even before all this. Mum couldn't stand to look at you, as she aged and you didn't. It drove her mad and I took her lead on it. You should have been there more often for Steven, especially after his father left us," Alice said.

Jack held her hand, smiling slightly. "I still remember when you told me you were having a boy. We went to the graveyard…"

Alice continued. "You told me about my brave brother." Looking up at the Doctor, she explained, "He was an RAF pilot, shot down in the war. I thought that was the perfect name for my little boy."

"He joined because of me, because he thought I was a pilot," Jack said. The Doctor smiled at him, remembering the first time they had met. "Stephen Jack Harkness, RAF. He came to see me, just before he left for training. Told me, 'If anything happened, don't blame yourself. I'm here because of you.'" Jack let out a chuckle. "I also advised him that if he saw me in London to not approach me." When John looked confused, Jack told him, "It wasn't me me."

The Doctor smiled that the father and daughter. "You seem to be doing better, Jack."

Jack stood up, still with Alice's hand still in his. "I'm not, yet." He turned to his daughter, who offered him a sheepish smile. "But, I think I'm getting there."

"It'll be a long journey, my friend. I know from personal experience. You will recover though. Indomitable, Jack, remember that, because that is what you are." Jack gave him the brightest smile the Doctor had seen on his face in a long time. "Now, Alice is right. You are needed back in Cardiff."

Jack nodded. "You're right, as always." He looked around, noting the barrenness of his surroundings and pointing to the TARDIS. "Can we have a life?"

The Doctor smiled brightly. "Would love to." He held out his arm the Alice in a gentlemanly manner. "My dear, if you would do me the honor."

Alice looked between the arm and Jack, noting her father's apprehensive manner. After a moments pause, she took it, noting her father's reaction. "Thank you kindly Doctor." The proceeded to the TARDIS, the Doctor throwing Jack as saucy grin as Jack and John stayed back momentarily.

John raised his eyebrows at the couple before him. "Well mate, it seems I got to her a little too late." As he was about to follow, Jack held out his arm.

"You try anything with her, and you will regret it," Jack voice menaced. He let John pass after say that then followed, feeling at peace for the first time in a long time. After closing the door to the TARDIS, it began again, taking them back to Cardiff.


	11. Coming Home

Again, thank you for all your comments. I do love feedback, it's want keeps the juices flowing. I will have one more chapter to end the story and I hope to get it up by the end of the week. Until then, I hope you enjoy this one.

Chapter 11- Coming Home

Something flickered into view on Mickey's computer monitor and he squinted his eyes at it. When it reappeared, he ran to the viewing gallery in autopsy. "Martha, come quick. I have something to show you."

Martha looked up to where he had been then followed him. He was smiling as he pointed to the monitor and for a minute, Martha thought he had gone mad. But just seeing the blue box on the screen brought a smile to her face. "Let go up and greet him," she said, moving towards the cog door, and the stairs that led up to the quay. On their way out of the tourist office, they yell, "Lois, come quick! Someone just showed up who can help us even more."

Roald Dahl Plass was still empty of people when they reached it, but as soon as they were there, the doors opened and the Doctor stepped out. "Hello, Martha Jones," he said with a smile and an embrace. Turning to Mickey, he bumped fists before greeting him with, "Hello Mickey Smith." He turned finally to Lois Habiba. "Hello, and you are?" he asked her.

Lois held out her hand. "Lois, Lois Habiba," she said simply, confused by the man and Mickey and Martha's reaction to him.

"Lois, I'm the Doctor," he told her, waving to the other two. "An old friend of Mickey and Martha's."

"Oh, Doctor, you have no idea how happy I am to see you," she began. When John Hart stepped out of the TARDIS next, she paused, her eyebrow raised. "Where the hell did you find him?"

Before John could offer a retort, the Doctor interceded. "Now, John here has been quite helpful. He needed a lift back to Earth and I was more than happy to oblige." John smirked Mickey and Martha, but as he proceeded to move out of the way, the Doctor grabbed his arm and flashed his sonic screwdriver over the wrist strap he wore.

"What'd you?" John asked as he finagled with it. When nothing worked on it, he glared at the Doctor.

"I was advised you may need some adjustment made to it," the Doctor said, nonchalantly. "To keep you out of trouble."

"Yes, and from what I understand, you have been known to get into quite a bit of it," came the voice of Alice Carter as she stepped out of the TARDIS.

Martha was shocked to see Jack's daughter in front of her. The last few times she had seen her, Alice was bitter, angry and grief-stricken. Now, she had a teasing smile on her face, contrasting perfectly with the annoyed glare John shot her and the Doctor. "Ms. Carter, what are you…?"

Alice turned to Martha and pointed to the Doctor. "He came to see me a little while ago." Martha wasn't sure what she meant by "a little while," as she was with a time-traveler, but Alice continued. "We had a talk, a good talk and we decided we needed to look for Dad."

"And they found me," Jack said as he stepped outside.

Martha's eyes lit up and she threw herself at Jack. He caught her, picked her up and spun her around. "Oh Jack, you came back," she said with glee.

Jack put her down and there was a smile on his face. It wasn't one of his usual dazzlers, but it did the job to lift her spirits. He then turned to Mickey, holding out his hand. Mickey took in and wrapped him in a manly, backslapping hug. He then approached Lois. "I never got a chance to thank you. You risked a lot to help us. I'm glad to see you took Gwen up on her offer," he said, giving her a peck of the cheek.

Lois smiled sheepishly at him. "You're quite welcome," was all she replied.

Turning back to Martha, Jack inquired, "Where is Gwen?"

Twenty minutes later, Jack, Martha and Alice were entering St. Helen's Hospital. The Doctor, Mickey, Lois and John stayed behind, understanding that this was time Jack needed with is those who he was closest to. "She was given a private room. Torchwood's name does go far when it's said," Martha explained. She stopped at a room and guided Jack in. He looked at her and entered on his own.

Gwen was asleep in the bed, looking very peaceful. On the other side of her was a mass of pink blankets in a bassinet. Jack moved as quietly as possible over to it and peeked in. Two dark eyes opened on him and a yawn escaped the baby's mouth. Jack was in awe. "Hello, there, sweetheart."

Even as quiet as he was, he had awakened Gwen. As she adjusted her eyes, she saw the familiar blue RAF greatcoat standing next to the baby bassinet. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her, so to confirm her belief, she said, "Jack?"

Two familiar blue eyes came upon her and her mouth few agape. He smiled at her, sitting down in a empty chair next to her bed. "Hello Gwen," was all he could say.

Tears pricked her eyes as she held her arms open to him. "Oh Jack," she cried as they embraced. As her tears began to fall, so did his. "You came back!"

"And I promise you, I always will," he told her.

"What in the blazes," a voice was about to holler as it came round the corner. Rhys Williams stopped as he saw not only Martha, but also Alice Carter. He let out a sigh, nodding in towards the room. "He'll be in there then?" Martha shrugged her shoulders as Rhys went in. He tried to think of a retort for the man embracing his wife, but, truth be told, he'd been worried about Jack as much as Gwen and the others. The incidents over the past months had knocked them all for a loop and Rhys knew just how important Jack was, to Earth, Great Britain, Wales, Cardiff and even Gwen. He decided to be magnanimous, at least this one time. "Have you met your niece?" he asked Jack.

Jack looked up at Gwen's husband and shook his hand, not registering what had been said. "You're daughter is beautiful, just like her mother," he told the new father. After a minute, Jack replied, questioningly, "Niece?"

Gwen nodded, pointing to her husband. "It was his idea. Maybe to give you some family."

Alice, hearing this, walked in next, going up to the bassinet and smiling at the baby. "Then I guess I would be the cousin then, yeah?" she asked. She went to Gwen, taking her hand. "I want to thank you."

Gwen was surprised to see Jack's daughter there, but was even more curious about her comment. "Why do you want to thank me?"

Alice looked at her dad. "You gave him a family, when his had rejected him. You and Ianto and the rest of Torchwood. You all were more his family than I." She looked back at Jack, tears in her eyes.

Gwen looked at them. She didn't know exactly what happened and she may never, but she did understand that some understanding had occurred. She hoped it would continue and be built upon further. Smiling, Gwen said, "That's the thing about families. They can grow both up and out. And I think it would be lovely if you would consider us part of yours." As she said that, she waved to the room. "So go ahead, Jack. I think this little lady wants to meet her uncle."

As Gwen and Rhys, Martha and Alice stood back and watched, Jack picked up the baby, holding her tightly. "Hello gorgeous. I'm your Uncle Jack." The little girl cooed to him, and he smiled back at those gathered, truly happy for the first time in a long time.

He had come home.


	12. Starting at the End

So, this is it--the end. This fanfiction has been therapy for me after watching "Children of Earth." It is my hope that the BBC does bring Torchwood back (the ratings seemed to be great, the critics loved it so there is hope).

I want to, one last time, thank all of you who sent feedback, issued story and author alerts and favorited this story or me as an author.

Chapter 12- Starting at the End

Jack Harkness walked up to the grave, knelt before it, and placed the bouquet of red roses down. He touched the engraved name, remembering the man it commemorated. Ianto Jones had been many things to him; loyal team member, dear friend and lover, but the most important one had been family. He had looked up to Jack from the very beginning and even in his darkest moments, had been the best at so many things.

"I know its been a while and I do apologize for that," Jack began. "I didn't think I could even come here. The pain of it all…It will never go away. Maybe that's a good thing." He looked skywards, trying to catch his breath. "I miss you, more than you could know, and I will miss you forever." Jack returned to the grave and, putting his fingers to his lips, kissed them and placed his hand atop the tombstone. "I love you, Ianto Jones."

He stood up again and heard soft footsteps approach. A hand lay on his shoulder and he turned, finding Gwen's soft smile facing him. "You OK?" she asked.

He looked back at the grave. "I'm getting there. It will take a long time. Maybe even forever."

"Well, then, it's a good thing you're immortal," she said, a somber smile on her face. She leaned her head on his arm. "You're not the only one, you know. He's in my thoughts every day. So are Tosh and Owen. But we need to honor their memories, by continuing the work we do." She looked up to him again. "You were right, when we lost Tosh and Owen. The end is where we start from. We can start again."

Jack nodded. "You're right. Let's get back to work." Arm in arm, Jack and Gwen walked back to the SUV. Getting in, the directed it back to bay and entered the tourist office, making their way through the labyrinth of tunnels in the Hub. Upon entering, Martha, Mickey, and Lois sat near the computers as John and Alice stood further back. John offered his service, which Jack took on a trial period, while Alice had asked to join, to give her something to do, and maybe to help others avoid the pain she had experienced. With Gwen holding his hand, Jack walked up past them into his office and hung up his greatcoat on the rack then turned to face his team. Letting out a breath he turned to them and with his typical Jack smile began his morning. "OK people, I got a call last night. There was a Weevil sighting in Splott. we need cleanup on that, Mickey and John, get to it. Martha, check on the medical case St. Helen's reported. I really hope the Rift hasn't decided to sit out anymore alien parasites. The last one nearly turned into a pandemic. Alice, get in touch with Sarah Jane. She called me to inform me that the Slitheen are back and causing more trouble. Gwen and Lois, the Hokrala lawyers are back. Take care of them please and see if you can find a way for them to understand that Earth doesn't have experience wit their writs yet." He continued to hand out assignments, with some grumbling coming from some quarters. In the end, they all carried out their jobs just like the always had, with professionalism, courage and the occasional snide comment. He smiled at them. Some things would never change.


End file.
